HBI Facilities Maintenance student, Leroy Payne-Drake, paints a replaced picket on the deck railing (left). Newly restored decks on Balsam Lodge on the Nantahala National Forest (top right). Map of Balsam Lodge near Cashiers, NC (bottom right).

Cashiers, NC – Nestled deep in the mountains between Sylva and Cashiers, the scenic USFS Balsam Lodge is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year with a make-over. Throughout the summer and fall, exterior portions of the Lodge have been being restored thanks to the student HBI Carpentry and Facilities Maintenance crews from the Oconaluftee Job Corps CCC. Thom Saylors, Recreation Staff Officer, with the Nantahala National Forest was excited to see the project come to life. “There are lots of things that need rehabilitation or upgrades every year across the forest. Balsam Lodge sees lots of visitors every year so it is great to see the work being done to make it better.”

 Students have spent over 260 hours doing everything from installing hundreds of new decking pickets to extensive painting and pressure washing patios. Partnership projects between the forest and the Job Corps allow students to learn essential skills in a real world environment while assisting the forest with labor needs. Learning those skills is often most challenging in an older structure like the Lodge. “Rehabilitation projects or older buildings always present their own challenges because you have use analytical skills meld to old and new components together for a cohesive look and functionality” says Oconaluftee’s HBI Facilities Maintenance Instructor, Aleta Haynes. Student Leroy Payne-Drake agrees. “We had to be extra careful to protect existing stonework and concrete from paint and other damage”. Payne-Drake is happy to have this project under his built as he hopes to one day lead a maintenance crew at large residential facility.

Students also learned how to repair surfaces for proper paint finishing, material storage safety, use of portable power tools, and how to work in a seven person crew. Employability skills like following directions, transitioning from task to task, and working to identify and correct mistakes are also a huge part of work projects out in the field. “Our mission is to provide career training and assist in the conservation national public resources- this project accomplishes both” Oconaluftee’s Liaison Specialist, Holly Krake, says. “By working with the great staff of the Nantahala Ranger District, our students are able to gain both the hard and soft skills that will carry them throughout their career”. For more information on Balsam Lodge and other recreation opportunities on the Nantahala National Forest, please visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc. The Oconaluftee Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center is associated with the National Forests of North Carolina. It is accredited by the Council On Occupational Education and currently serves 104 students.  The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.  The Agency manages over 200 million acres of public land, provides assistance to State and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. For more information about the Oconaluftee JCCCC, visit oconaluftee.jobcorps.gov or jobcorpsnews.org/Oconaluftee

Article and pictures by Holly Krake, MSEd, Oconaluftee Job Corps CCC Liaison Specialist.

Roy Taylor Forest sign in Nantahala National Forest (left). HBI Carpentry student, Ryan Sullivan, carefully measures the cut on a picket (right).